Unless I am broke, it may be best not to turn me loose in seed store!
For many gardeners out there, flipping through the pages of a seed catalog can be a fantastic experience. The options and combinations of what to plant are almost endless sometimes, and it can be exciting just to think about.
If you saw my recent post about our trip to the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company then you already know that I was in a giant room lined with seed packets, in their amazing Seed Store! Truth be told, I actually checked out four separate times!.
Since Baker Creek does an amazing job at finding rare and excellent heirloom seeds from all around the world available to your average gardeners, I am always super excited when I get to stop in. Did you realize that almost ¾ of a million gardeners have purchased seeds from this company? Personally, that gives me a lot of hope for the future.
Among my gardening goals are finding which crops will work best for us. Since we moved to the Ozarks less than two years ago, we are still adjusting to the climate ourselves. Having different soil and different temperatures can be a bit to deal with as a gardener. Plants that we once grew in Wisconsin with the greatest of ease now may be difficult to grow.
So far we have been very impressed with a few of the new kinds of food that we have grown. Plants like the Chinese Red Noodle Bean and the Kiwano were ones that we had never even heard of a few years ago. Now, we plan on having them in our garden every year. Finding amazing gems like those makes us very excited to try other plants that we may not have heard of.
The tamarillo was a new plant for us that we got to check out in person at Baker Creek. David Kaiser had become a sort of mascot for the company, and he shared some with the @little-peppers and myself that he picked off of one of their plants. I had never tasted anything quite like it, but some of the flavor reminded me of an apricot. Now, we have a packet of those seeds as well to try growing our own. Hopefully they will work out very well for us.
This one was another good find. The Austrian Winter Pea is a good cover crop and soil builder that can be grown in the winter. The young tendrils can be eaten and enjoyed as a food, but the plant also is great for animals and fixes Nitrogen in the soil, since it is a legume. I've already been planting some and look forward to seeing how they work our for us.
Corn is one of the most heavily GMO'ed crops out there, and I really would rather try to grow my own. Whether it is for tortillas, corn flour or corn meal, popcorn, animal feed, or eating as sweet corn, I'd prefer to grow my own. I'll be experimenting with a few more varieties and comparing them to some that I already like to grow. The varieties out there are amazing, and it makes me sad to think that many people will only see yellow corn in a metal can during their lifetimes.
Growing more of our own other grains will also be something that we look into as we move forward on the homestead. We will be testing a few varieties of wheat soon. Also, we found these interesting carrots, including the Oxheart, which should be a good one for the "soil" that we are currently dealing with.
Some of the main problems that certain gardeners run into is having too many seeds and not enough space or time. While I am optimistic, I am not exactly planning on making sure to grow every one of these varieties next season, but I may try. Hopefully we will at least be able to rule out a few and also find some that do amazing for us.
I think that right now is such an incredible day and age to be a gardener in, because we have access to variety like never before. While many seeds are being manipulated and others lost forever, at least we have a world-wide commerce to interact within. While certain restrictions still prohibit seeds from being moved across certain borders, in many cases we can get a different variety just by clicking a button on our computer, entering a card number, and waiting for the mail. That is very exciting for me!
I'm not sure how many of you tend to go a little overboard when shopping for garden seeds, but I still have not grow out of it. Thankfully, some seeds like cucumbers can last for ten years or more and still germinate. I have always found it to be absolutely amazing that an entire plant with so much produce can be produced from just one tiny seed!
While the packets featured in the photos for this post are not all of the varieties that I purchased, they are some of them. Because we want to be able to provide most of our own food and have extra to share, we will be hard at work in the garden for the rest of our lives. Finding the best varieties for our area is crucial to getting the best return on our investment. I think that it is an added bonus that we only live a few hours from Baker Creek, where they grow these in their garden.
So steemians, tell me. Do you grow any of your own food? If not, would you like to try it one day? If so, what it your all time favorite homegrown crop that produces well for you? Also, have you ever went a little "crazy" on seed shopping?
As always, I'm @papa-pepper and here's the proof:
proof-of-planting-some-already
Until next time…
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Being in Wisconsin I like growing perennials like strawberries, asparagus, rhubarb, onion, garlic, sweet potatoes, etc.
When it comes to tomatoes, peppers, and such. I was told Italian heirloom seeds are the best. Italians take their food seriously.
Good luck.
Gone a little crazy seed shopping? Every time!
Favorite to grow? Any herb.
I get lost in any gardening store or seed catalog. Could spend hours looking.
LOL - Let's make sure to never go seed together then!
oh but imagine the trouble we could get into!!
This year I started growing saffron and we are having SO much fun picking up these little magical flowers!
I wish there was a seed shop like this in my region!
Wow! I've never grown saffron yet. Very cool!
I am also starting to have a craze for seeds and plants, trying to grow red chillies from seeds :)
Cool! I love growing chillies! (papa-pepper!)
Very nice seed store.
Thanks for sharing
You are making difference in society. Thanks for amazing post!
nice post @papa-pepper
Wow
That's amazing
I really want to have those products, I will be great , I know the products is better than anything
Good post
You have my respect Sir, I can't wait for the time I will have my own garden. Thank you for sharing this!
It is a huge blessing to be able to garden, thanks!
you are a real farmer. I really love those seeds, how i wish i can get some of my favourite seeds deliver to me here in my country. Actually i will love to plant them too. As i can see, many of them is no easily available here and is a big opportunity for me. Kudos to you @paper-pepper for open my eyes to these seeds.
I love Baker Creek seeds! They’re actually only about an hour from my hometown, so I’m kind of sad that I’ve never visited or gone to any of their festivals :( I do, however, purchase their seeds at our local farm and garden store that’s owned by one of my best friend’s parents. We didn’t plant a garden this year, but in the years before that, we planted all kinds of stuff, mostly from Baker Creek seeds! I also love how generous and charitable they are! I think they have been donating part of their proceeds to the hurricane victims and clean up efforts. Wonderful company!
You remind of my grandfather diligently thumbing through the Stokes seed catalogue when I was a kid. I'm trying to start growing some of my food but I haven't had much success yet.
very good post my best friend ,,
what is it all the result of hard work buddy ,,
Whoa, there are so many options! I am working on my hydroponic farm, perhaps some small leafy herbs or vege will be a wise choice.
LOVE Baker Seeds! Some day I will tell the story of my seed dream, you might find it amusing. For now, I just want to turn you on to my favorite medicinal herb seed source, just in case you have not found these fine folks! (They used to be Horizon Herbs, went to find this link and thought they were gone for a minute! Agh! But here they are !)
https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/
Papa, you are turning into my favourite Steemian.I 'm literally addicted to your post now.Keep being original.
Hopefully the seeds that @papa-pepper buy can grow and get good results. I also love to plant, such as corn, spinach, tomatoes and some types of fruit crops. Partly I made a post. if we were close, I would ask the seeds of the new type of plant same @papa-pepper. Good luck always for papa. thank you
very good post my friend...
Papa! I am going to buy above ground gardening beds for the spring but I do have a patch of ground to use for a winter crop - what is a good winter crop - I live in Vegas so it doesn't really freeze here much but we get down to 35 occasionally
Then you really don't have winter there. :)
watch John Kohler's videos on organic gardening. He has a whole series about growing gardens in Las Vegas.
I am passionate about gardening. On my balcony I have pots with rosemary, mint and basil.
really good post like it!
We grow a lot of our veggies, however we face a lot of challenges with ants, rabbits and all sort of other creepy crawlies. so we do what we can to protect them. There is nothing as rewarding a picking a fresh fruit off a tree or eating your home grown veggies. Thanks for sharing!
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Hey, @papa-pepper! I am afraid I must confess to being a seed-aholic! I am like a kid in a candy shop when I find a gardening store with seeds. I like to try all kinds in my garden. My garden right now is more of a garden lab since I am finding out what will grow in this climate and what won't. I have some amazing successes but a few abysmal failures too. My dream vacation would be to spend a lot of time at Baker Creek! lol Somehow looking online or in catalogues just isn't the same...
What a great store! That is great, my parents grew cabbage, lettuce, corn, tomatoes and watermelon when I was little. I use Rosemary in a lot of my food so I have a rosemary plant, basil and a tomato plant that was over 6 feet tall, lol! It didn't produce well here, I need to dig up an area outside here but have feral cats and possums living here! :-(
Wow, those are some amazing selections! I can't wait until I have a garden to grow all my own vegetables.
It must be so awesome to have all of that in your garden, youd literally never need to go to the store!
I grow a few herbs on my balcony, basil, mint, chives, coriander and runner beans. That's all I have space for !
good post @papa-pepper..
I like this post..👍👍
I really like your posts and
also your daily life @papa-pepper
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Oh my!!! I can't imagine going to the showroom. I lose my mind enough just with the vegetable catalog. I can attest that those dragon tongue bean are super yummy. I've never tried that variety of amaranth, but the giant golden variety is my least favorite so far. It's a lot harder to tell when to harvest. Oh, and that toothache plant, works like a charm! I've grown it for many years now. My youngest kiddo gave me a start one year.
Please keep in mind that the season will be changing.
We are entering an ice age, and we have entered a new area of space which is changing the rays we get from our sun.
All this to say, you are aiming at a moving target.
We have currently planted a small garden for 4 years now. each year it gets a tad bigger. The last two years we have been buying seed from Baker Creek. Hope to make a trip there in the future.
Amazing! So many interesting varieties. We grow oregano, thyme and basil on the window sill... those are the only edibles. Someday, I hope to have some land and I will be sure to use Baker Creek seeds.
Great herbs to be growing while you wait.
I still got those seeds Kiwano, Noodle Bean and Popcorn.
Woohoo! At least I know they come from a local grower, starting them indoor to get ahead of everyone else.
It looks like you picked up some good ones! That jelly melon on the top row has got me curious. It looks a bit like a lychee. Also those two bok choys look awesome.
Unfortunately for me right now I don't have any space to grow due to living in an apartment. But the dream is to one day grow again.
Not a crazy seed shopping story but a crazy growing story. One year we grew way too many fava beans. Forever to be known in my book as pain in the ass beans. Very labor intensive when harvesting.
Well with my father we plant our own corn harvest and beans we planted during spring and saved the crop for winter.
The seeds store here is not a good option, onlu a short plants for this reason we only have harvest and save the seed for grow the next year like pumpkings and black beens.
Best regard @galberto
Hi @papa-pepper i do it some times buy way to many seeds for my garden :-) I like to order from https://www.livingseeds.co.za/ good quality organic seeds , I just love planting my own stuff .
I don't have a garden so the only thing I grew successfully in a pot is spring onion!
What is really funny we went to visit a friend we haven't seen in a few months a few days ago. After we caught up and he found out what we are planning with the land, he told me you got to check out this catalog it is the best company out there for seeds. And guess what catalog it was? Yep Baker's Creek. He gave us some tomatoes he grew, it cut some of them up tonight to go with our dinner and they were delicious.
I think I will be placing an order myself soon, because as soon as spring breaks I will be planting and working on getting my greenhouse done so I can produce things year round.
Poor parsnips didn't even get a picture. So sad.
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I have drawers full of seeds :( am planting - but then, I have to save a bunch of seeds. And been given them away. But hardly ever can resist the idea of growing a new variety of just about anything.
how many acres have you got down there, the way you seem to be adding crops and shipping containers it looks like you will run out of space soon...
Working on trying to never having to visit the grocery store again here.
Our garden is finally coming together and my current goal is to get an average of 2 fruit (or at least edible) trees and bushes planted each month... and surround them with herbs, more garden type foods, and supplementary items that are of actual use.
Right now we have more lettuces than we know what do do with, the kale and beets are coming in nicely, and the blackberries are going nuts.
While most of my trees are young (planted within the last few months) and not clones (they will take a few years to produce fruit) we are making progress.
Now all I need is to start doing some serious digging to get my earth built greenhouse going... starting with a 2x4 frame and then building earth walls under the roof.
Yes, my wife thinks I'm crazy... but if I can go from $1500 per month on food (we have lots of crazy nutters!) to closer to $200 (or nothing) then I'll be stoked.
I love seed catalogs and probably spend way too much on seeds... but within a year I want to have fresh organic food year round... and as soon as my little trees start producing fruit I'll be using the techniques I've learned from plant propagation to start hawking them to others in the area.
As always, thanks!
Did you talk to them at all about growing a specialty plant to harvest the seed for the next year? I think I remember watching a show with Baker Creek where they were asking certain farmers to grow seeds that they were running out of to be able to restock their seed supply.